
^ i J 



I 

"~7 







^ * 



THE GREAT REBELLION. 



■■Gather iiij the fragments tliat luilhing be lost." 



iXOTES OF CONVERSATIONS 



A VOLUKTEEIf OFFICEK IX THE UXITEJ) STATES XAVY, 



ON 



'^orkawt C »T^w [oT' 



THE PASSAGE OF THE FORTS BELOW NEW ORLEANS, 



APRIL 24th, 1862, 



AM) OTIIKU POIXTS OF SKKVICE ON THE MISSISSIPI'I 
JUVEM DUHING THAT YEAR. 



^Stj Asht^-r i^t^loT 





i.B8 



OP V^ASH'.H • 



ilcuT t-Tarh: 



...^ 



1868. 



> 



ONLY lOO COPIES PRINTED. 



I; coy /f 5 wVjlv.L^ -^ 



F K A Nil* A 1. O U T K K I. r i: I N T . 



Captain Goriiam Coffin Taylor, of the city <.f Now 

York, received tlie appointment of Volunteer Master's Mate 
in tlu^ U. S. Nav}-, in tlic forepart 
of jVovember, 1 SG'i . lie ininiediately 
proceeded, under oiders, to Wash- 
ington, and i-eported at the Navy 
Yard tlier(>, and was phaced, together 
witli a Jiuniber of others— Captains, 
Mates and Second Mates, volunteers 
from the merchant service— under in- 
struction in tli(^ pecidiar duties of tlie 
luivy — 

" The lore of tlir bold aiul the Itravr." 

An (experience of ten years at sea 
as hoy, seaman, mate and captain, 
had given him all the (pialiiication 
in practical seamanship, and sailor- 
craft generally, that could he de- 
sired. In December h(^ was ordered 
to riiiladelphia, and attached to the 
l^ciold, gnn-hoat. 

The United States gunboat Sciofa, 
a steamer, schooner rigged, of five 
hundred tons burthen, was a formid- 








able vessel of her class, carrying a 20-pounder Parrott riile on 
her top-gallant forecastle ; an Xl-inch Dahlgren on a pivot 
amidship, and two 24-X3onnder brass howitzers on her quarters ; 

a third howitzer was 
added after her arriv- 
al in the Gulf. She 
was built and fitted 
awa}^ at Philadelphia; 
whence she sailed on 
the 17th of December, 
1861, under command 
of Lieut. -Com'g Ed- 
waedDoxaldsox, th(> 
oldest lieutenant in 
the nav3^, to join the 
"AYestern Gulf Squa- 
dron " at its rendezvous at Ship Island, in the Gulf of Mexico ; 
she arrived out on the 8th January, 18C'2. 

In a short time Captain Daa'id (^ Fakragut hoisted his 
"Flag" as Commander-in-Chief of the naval forces destined 
for the reduction of Xew Orleans, and the opening of the 
Mississij)pi above that point. 




Marvelous stories were circulated of the tremendous ob- 
stacles to be encountered ; mighty iron-clad rams of novel con- 
struction, and other vessels of great power, vauntingly pro- 
claimed by the "Rebs" and their friends to be impregnable 
and irresistible ; Fort Jackson, on the west side of the river, 
mounting nearlv a hundred guns of most formidable character ; 



Fort St. Philip, ()i)p()sit(> ; and, in addition, an enormous cliain 
stretched across the river, borne on hulks, at a point to ob- 
struct the passage, under the guns of the Fort : all combining 
to present a resistance appearing to many as im2)0ssible to be 
overcome by any forces that the Government would be able to 
pi-esent against it. 

By the forepart of April tlie Sciota, with most of the vessels 
of Flag-officer Faeragut's Sciuadron, had entered the river, 
and were lying at the "head of the passes," whilst the last 
touches of preparation for the approaching great conflict were 
given ; amongst which, the trilling incident of the Sclofa being- 
sent out to. Isle au Breton, one of the sand kej's just outside 
of the river, conveying a schooner for a load of beach sand, to 
strew on the decks of the vessels in action, to jirevent them 
Irom being splashy and slix)pery with blood, was latlier sug- 
gestive, the boys, who had never been in action, thought, of 
the ""raw-head and bloody-bones'' kind of work before them. 

AVliilst the attack on the forts was impending, the fleet was 
visited by the commanders and other officers of the English and 
French war vessels lying in the river, and who had been up to 
the city and observed the measures for defence ; and it Avas 
stated that they were all very emphatic in expressing their 
opinions that the attempt to silence or pass the forts must prove 
a failure, involving the defeat and probable destruction of the 
fleet. Doubtless "the wish was father to the thought,'' for 
old Cockney Johnny, the old thief, and Johnny Crapeau, too— 
"and be cursed to them!"— were both open!}- in symimtliy 
and fraternity with the Jolinny liebs. 



8 



The MoKTAK Flkkt. of twenty vessels, t(H)k ]u)siti()iis at 
laiigvs of n mile and a lialf to over two iiiili^s fiOoO to 3G80 
yards) from the Forts, and in dne time o})ened on tliem, and 
kcjit up a continual i\vo for live or six days and niiilits. with 
cftocts tliat have never l)een surpassed, if equalled, in any 
former or uiodern gunner}'. 

The xSV/fVr?, with the Flag'-offieev and a nnnibcn- of other bif/ 
wi(/s, including the General commanding the co-operating mili- 
tary force, and some of the principal wise ones of his staff, on 
board, M'as several times ])ushed up, scouting, toward the forts 
to reconnoitre, and see how things looked, and diaw their tire, 
to judge of the powers and i-ange of their artillery. The boys 
were not a little amused at the effects on the different members 
of the quarter-deck part}', of the approach of an occasional 
well-directed shot from Johnny Eeb ; whilst the old bull-dog, 
the Flag-officer, Avith glass in hand, stood on the horse-block, 
bolt upright, staunch and immovable as the stunqi of the 
maimnast, with a — "There comes one ! — then^ ! ! — there!!!'' 
And, as tlie shot fell into the water, ''Ah, too short; finely 
lined, tho'I" — the doughty General, and the greeney^ of his 
''fail," -ducked and bobbed, and dodged in a manner to 
greatly excite the merrnnent of the '"blue jackets"* forward. 
Sailors have, g(>nerally, a quick eye for the ridiculous, in what- 
ever passes within thinr notice, especially with those raidving 
over them. 

The R(d)s w(>re very active in the employment of eveiy 
means of annoyance — sending down, almost nightly, fire hulks 
and immense rafts piled u]) Avith bhizing combustibles, which 



kept tlio wliole fleet on tlie alert in figliting tliem off. One 
night a very formidable raft was coming clown, and a gun-boat, 
just ahead of the Sclota, hove up her anchor to run clear of it, 
the current, getting a sheer on her, carried her down on to the 
f>ciof(f, and started Iter anchors, and the two fell athwart the 
hawse of one of the frigates (the Mississippi) when the raft 
struck them, and caused, for a few moments, much excitement 
in all three of the vessels. They succeeded, however, by great 
exertions, in slioving it off, with some damage by fire to the 
head-gear of the Sciota; and before she could get disentangled 
and out of the scrape, she lost her mainmast. Her foremast 
was subsequently knocked out of her in one of her engage- 
ments up the river, and she performed her work, during the 
latter part of the summer, entirely hare of poles. 

The formidable rebel chain was most gallantly and adroitly 
unshackled or cut, under the cover of night, and an openino- 
made in it sufficient for the vessels to pass through, j)revious to 
the movement of the fleet up to the attack. 

All things being in readhiess, and the "bomb fleet" having 
been for several days incessantly " j)um2:)ing thunder" into the 
devoted forts, the morning of the 24th of April had been ap- 
pointed for the decisive movement ; and accordingly, all hands 
were turned up, at the aj^pearance of the Flag-officer's "two 
red lights" just after midnight, responding to the summons on 
board our ship, and, in fact, throughout the fleet, with great 
spirit and alacrity, all in high glee and eager for the fray. 

The morning was dark ; a heavy damji mist hung over the 



10 



Avater, Some two or three liours were spent in '• backing and 
tilling "^ — ^-awing about — getting tlie vessels into their respective 
positions. After the iirst excitement of the "rattle nj) " was 
over— time 'hanging lieavv with them — Taylor and another 
steerage officer went below and played dominoes for pastime 
(that being the highest grade of "sport" allowed in a man-of- 
war), until "all hands to quarters" was called, when, stretch- 
ing their limbs, and shaking off their languor, they budded on 
their swords, with revolvers on the belts, and rushed to the deck 
and took position at theu- several divisions : young "VYoodttaed, 
an embryo Acting Middy, having the rifle on the forecastle ; 
Foster, Acting Master, the Xl-inch Dahlgren amidships ; 
Taylor, the three howitzers on the quarters ; and McFarl vxd, 
Sailing Master, at the con. 

The fleet moved oti gallantly, in two lines, up to the work — 
the Sci'ota, being Ko. 1 of the gunboats, leading the second 
division of gunboats, in support of the flrst division of shii^s (the 
port column), led by the Commander-in-Chief in the Ilcirtford.'^ 
Large fires were built on the shores by the Rebs, to light up 
the river and expose the vessels to view from the forts and bat- 
teries, and as they came within range they were opened upon 
with a tremendous cannonade. Meanwhile, the bomb vessels 
kept pouring into the forts a perfect torrent of their terrific mis- 
siles ; Taylor counted thirteen shells in the air at one time, all 
speeding, screaming, at the devoted objects of the attack. The 
river was full of rebel vessels — gunboats, fire-ships and fire- 
lafts drifting down, giving the appearance of a sea of flame, 
into the midst of which the fleet was pushing, and. altogether, 

••• "The i-.car eld ILa-fford r—^h<: YxmwGiT. 



11 



presenting a scene awfull}' tenil)le, and grand be.yond de- 
scription. 

Captain Pouter, coinmandlug tlie Mortar Fleet, in a dis- 
patcli to tlie Secretary of tlie 'Navy, written the next day, bL- 
fore he liad heard from above of the resnlt of the movement, 
remarks : 

"The sight of this night attack was awfully grand. Tli- 
"river was lit up by rafts tilled with pine-knots, and the 
" ships seemed to be literally fighting in an ocean of flame and 

' ' smoke. 

"I am in hopes the ships above fared as well as we did, 
"though amid snch a terrible fire. It was gratifying to see 
"that not a ship w\avered, but stood steadily on her course; 
" and I am in hopes (and I see no reason to doubt it) that they 
" now have possession of New Orleans." 

The prescribed order for the movement of the vessels was 
disregarded after passing throngh the opening in the chain ; 
each one, as she got throngh, pushed on at the top of her speed, 
and engaged the forts and the Reb gunboats as she encountered 
them. Of the five ships and twelve gunboats composing the 
fleet, the Sclota was the fourth one to attack the forts and pass 
them ; the ^%r^ma, and another gunboat (both very fast), and 
one of the large ships, preceded her. The action soon became 
o-eneral; the Sclota opened from her whole batteries, Avhich 
were served with vigor and spirit, aiming, in the darkness, at 
the flashes from the forts. Taylor took position on the after 



V2 



liatch vtlie ward-room sky-liglit \ so as to liave a good oversiglit 
(^f liis tliree guns, two of wliicli were trained to port on Fort 
Jackson, and the third to starboard on St. Phillip, and direct- 
ing and cheering on his men to their utmost eftbrts of activity. 
The lire from the heavy ordnance of the forts was tremeudons, 
and tremendously was it responded to by the fleet. It was 
estimated that the lire from both sides— the fleet, the forts, the 
rebel vessels, and the batteries on the shore — numbered six 
hundred guns within a square mile, and worked with a rapidity 
unparalleled in previous times. Well did Flag-officer Fakka- 
GVT say. in his flrst letter to the Secretary of the Xavy. '• Suc7( 
aiin\ I imar/ine, tlie world 7ias rarehj seen .'" On the Scioto., 
every man. although but few of them had ever been under Are, 
evinced the utmost unqualifled bravery, and to a degree that 
was truly remarkable : all was glee and jollity with them — 
cheering, shoutmg. and joking at every incident. And when a 
shot would come crashmg through the bulwarks, or sides of the 
vessel, the inquiry was general, and with deep interest, ''Who's 
hitf "Who's hurt r' Xo one concerned for himself, but all 
anxious about their shipmates ; in fact, not a man was wanting, 
in the slightest degree, in the highest qualitication of " a biave 
Yankee tar I" 

Just alter the Sciofa had passed the front of Fort Jackson, 
and still within range of the Are from its heavy guns, a large 
rebel armed steamer, the Besolufe, came near her ; and, as 
soon as discovered in the darkness and smoke, the Sciofa was 
training her batteries on her, they called out from her, ''Don't 
Are, for God's sake!— we surrender!" The Fleet Captain, who 
commanded a division of the gunboats, was. Avith liis pennant 



18 



(his divisional "Hag"'), on tlio Sclota, and directed the First 
Lieutenant to send a boat to board her. A cutter was "Called 
awa}'," and Taylor — whose position with his Howitzer Divi- 
sion on the quarter-deck, being close to the Lieutenant — hear- 
ing the order of the Fleet Captain, turned to tlie Lieutenant and 
asked if he might go in the boat. The Li/^f' seemed startled at 
the reckless daring of the request, and answered, " Wh}'— a— 
yes — if you w/s7i to!''^ Taylou ordered the cutter down, and 
as he spraiig into it, called on his division for volunteers, when 
all his men tumbled forward in a moment to the gangway, and 
many of them into the boat. He selected six, and sent the 
others back to their guns; and with his six "armed up" with 
cutlass and revolvers, he pushed off in search of the prize, 
which had drifted by, down into the fog and smoke, out of 
sio'lit. The file on all sides was terrific, but they "gave way, 
with a will," and after pulling half a mile or more, dodging 
about anudst the terrible fire, and through the crowd of vessels, 
of both sides, that seemed to fill the river, found their customer, 
with his head run into the mud, and aground on the bank of 
the river, just above Fort Jackson ; they ran alongside, and 
she being high up out of water, and no chain-plates or projec- 
tions of any kind to hang on to, it was a problem, for a mo- 
ment, how to get on board of her ; which, however, was soon 
solved by several of his men taking Taylok by the feet and 
raising him square up, and fairly tossing him on to the deck of 
the rebel, where a scene of carnage and suffering met his e^^e, 
such as he had never before witnessed. The Resolute, just be- 
fore encountering the Sclota, had received smashing broadsides 
from one of the large ships as she passed her, which had ter- 
ribh' cut up and almost annihilated her ci'ew ; upwards of a 



14 



liundred of them lay in lieaps, dead and wounded, and some 
mangled liorriblr. Two of Taylor's crew followed liim to the 
deck of the rebel, and, pistol in hand, '' stood "by him." On 
inquiring for the commanding officer, the Second Lieutenant, who 
met him at the side of the vessel, informed him that the Captain 
was up on the hoiler-deck, mortally wounded, and that the 
First Lieutenant was in command; Taylor then required to 
be conducted to the commanding Lieutenant, and proceeded, 
flanked "by his faithful supporters, to the upper deck, wliere the 
Lieutenant was in attendance on the dying Captain. As he ap- 
proached them, the Lieutenant came forward to meet him, 
and, drawing his sword, tendered it, saying, "/ surrender tlie 
sliij? to you, sir /^^ Taylor received the sword, and extending 
his hand to the lieutenant shook hands with him, and held a 
few minutes' conversation on the condition of the ship and of 
the crew. Whilst they stood talking togethei', a beautiful 
bright-eyed boy, of some ten or twelve j'ears, approached 
them ; the Lieutenant said he was the Ca]3tain' s soil, called him 
Eugene, and told him they were all prisoners. Taylor, finding 
the vessel hard aground, and impossible to be moved, turned to 
the Lieutenant, and the Second Lieutenant, who had joined 
them, saying, "Gentlemen, you will please get into the boat 
and go Avitli me, I have no time to spare;" and also told 
Eugene that he, too, must get into the boat, designing to protect 
and take care of him amidst the confusion. The little fellow 
straightened himself up, and replied, '' jYo, sir.' I will stay 
Avith my father ; he is wounded, and I am going to stay with 
liimaslongas he lives." Taylor was surprised and amused 
at the spirited and saucy air, and yet feeling manner in which 
he was ansvrc^red, and told the bo}' that he was a tine fellow 



15 



—"a brick''— and might remain with liis father, and must 
do everything in his power for liis comfort. 

As they moved forward toward th.4r boat, they had to 
pick their' steps among the dead and dying and wounded ; 
and as he stepped over a poor fellow, terribly mangled, who 
moaned out, "Oh, for Clod's sake, give me some-Avater !" 
Taylor called out, with the instinctive tone of authority, 
"For'ardtherel" and receiving from half a dozen the accus- 
tomed "xiye, aye, sir," he continued, "Some of you bring 
some water for this poor fellow, and put something nnder his 
head, and lay him more comfortably." The saddened look of 
o-ratitude and tenderness that the wounded man turned up to 
the speaker was inexpressibly touching, and started a tear that 
subsequent scenes of carnage and suffering have failed to 



move. 



Taylok, with his prisoners, tlu' two Lieutenants, then 
pushed off on his return to his own ship. All this work was 
done with but six men, and the Resolute had, perhaps, fifty or 
more of her crew remaining unhurt, and was still within range 
of the forts and under the fire of the rebel vessels, particularly 
the o-unboat MeRea, wliich lay abreast, and kept up a sharp 
and "constant fire directed at the boat, but, luckily, the party 
escaped being hit by any of them. 

After getting into the boat, Tayloii, having the surrendeivd 
swm-d in "his hand, suggested that it would be convenient to 
have tlie scabbard also, when the Lieutenant unclasped the belt 
and handed it ov(M% to accompany the sword ; remarking after- 



16 



Avards, on board the JSciofa, that the request, so coolly made 
when under such a crushing lire, and with such perilous sur- 
roundings, showed a degree of "cheek,'' and freedom from 
excitement, that was remarkable. 

The passage back was, if possible, more perilous than the 
outset ; the lire around them, from the rebel vessels, seemed 
heavier and closer. The density of tlie smoke, and the dim 
gray of the morning, had long shut out from their sight their 
own vessel ; and as they were pulling in the direction of where 
they expected to find her, they discovered an odd, black, non- 
descript-looking tiling moving out from under the shore directly 
across theii' course. Taylor could not imagine what it Avas, 
but was informed by his jirisoners that it was the famous ram 
JIanasso'S. They seemed elated at her near approach and 
apparent likelihood to intercept and perhaps recapture them : 
but Taylor, not exactly relishing that conthigency, altered his 
course, making a wide detour to avoid her ; and, after a long- 
pull, dodging about amongst the vessels, regained his own sliii^ 
in safet}'. His Captain, having lost sight of him for so long a 
time, had given him up as lost — sunk or captured, certain — and 
had given the order to "go ahead," abandoning him entirely. 
His Sailing Master, and others, exclaimed against it, reminding 
him that the boat was still out, when he, apparently rather re- 
luctantly, held on, and in a little while discovered the boat in 
the distance, under the smoke, and in due time took her up. 

Taylor was welcomed from his })erih)us coijage with warm 
congratulations by all on board. On presenting his ]>risoners 
to FhM^t-Captain Bell, he was complimented by him in the 



19 



liigliost tonus, fur liis daring adveiituiv, and upon its succL'ssful 
terminatio]!, playfully remarking, ''Why didn't you board 
that ram, and capture and "bring Iter in, too i it would have 
made your fortune!" Tayloii replied that that was hardly 
practicable with only six men. "Why, yes it was," said the 
Captain, "she has but sixty men, and //o/f and your six could 
have boarded and carried her, sure I " 

AVhcn the fleet had come to anchor, Tayloi', was directi^I 
to report the surrender to the Commander-in-Chief, and accord- 
ingly repau-ed on board the Flag-ship, and reported to Flag- 
officer Faekagut the surrender of the Resolute, and the bringing 
oft' her Commander, and at the same time delivered to him the 
sword. The Flag-officer inquired minutely into the particulars, 
and seemed much interested in the affair; asked who com- 
manded the boat. ''I (lid, sir,"' said Taylok. "Wh3',"said 
he, "you are a gallant felloAv ;" extolled his exploit, and com- 
l)limented him highly, shaking his hand very warnd}' and 
cordially, and inquired his name, adding, "Take this sword, 
sir, and keep it as a trophj' of 3'our braverr, ajid a memorial 
of THIS GLOKious DAY ! " All of which was, of course, not a 
little gratifying to a young and ardent spirit that had gon(^ 
forth so gallanth' in search of 

" Tlie bii1)l)li; rcpMlation." 



20 



'^ State of Xew Yoijk, 
'vIjiiikat' of Milfi'aky RF('oin>. 

'-''EAircct from a Jc((<r from Acting Master s Mate 
"IIowAiiD T. Moffat, U. S. N. 

'•Arr.iL 25tl!, 1802. 
" Duiinu" tlie paj>t^aii;c of tlu^ forts A'ostcrday, one of tlie most 
''gallant incidents was tlie capture of the Besolute (relbel) by 
"the Sciota. Masters Mate Taylok, of the latter, boarded 
" the Jiesolute, in an open boat, nnder the hot fire, and received 
" the sword of its Commander, wliich the Flag-officer i')resented 
" to him for his conspicuous gallantr}' and bravery."' 

But, alas I for tho S(\piel. TJiis Avas the first, and bi'lieved 
to be the onty Na}:at sicord surrendered on that glorious occa- 
sion ; and the feat of the young officer was not surpassed, in 
personal gallantry and heroism, by any individual act on that 
day ; and yet, in all the reports, all that aj^pears of it is in 
Fleet-Captain Bell's report, who, in speaking of the Captain of 
the /S'c/oto,'^* says he ^^ sent a boat's crew to taltc j^ossessloii of 
an armed steamer wlilcli surrendered to liim'!'''' That, posi- 
tively, IS ALL I ! notwithstanding Captain Bell was know- 
ing to all the particulars I I ! But then, the hero of the exploit 
was only a ^^ Volunteer ."' — albeit a sou of the Empire State, of 
good character and repute, qualified by ten years' experience 
at sea, through all the grades of the merchant service, for au}' 
l)Osition on any ship ; Avhilst his grudging Commander was a 
"Regular," or fossil of the old fogy, SAvallow-tailed pattern I 

* If Captain Doxai.dsox, of llio .'^W'-^/c. ma ilc any report, himself, at all, it is not 
luiblislu'il willi tl;c others. 



21 



It has been said that emry '•^regular"' officer received lioiior- 
able mention, and most, if not all of them, promotion I 

Strong mnst have been the confidence of the authorities in 
the deep-rooted patriotism and devotion to the sacred cause of 
the country, tliat permitted them to thus trifle witli the aspira- 
tions for distinction and renown of tlie galhant feHows wlio 
rushed forward 

" In the battk'-path of duty," 

in that "dark and trying hour,'' and treat their gallant and 
chivalric services with neglect, contumely and scorn I All, 
well I thus wags the world ! 

The next day, the fleet, in its progress \v^ the river, attacked 
and silenced extensive batteries at Chalmette, just below New 
Orleans. The Sciota took the inside tracJc, rushing in to 
"short range," and bore a most conspicuous share in the 
action. There had been a large force actively Avorking on the 
rebel fortifications, wliich extended for a mile or more on the 
bank of the river ; and, in clearing up on the approach of the 
fleet, great quantities of tools and implements, and wheelbar- 
rows, were piled up as high as they could be thrown, like a 
great hay-stack. A 24-pounder shell, from one of Taylok's 
howitzers, struck the stack, exploding in the center of it, and 
sent the wheelbarrows Z;/^'//z/7/ some high in the air, and scat- 
tering fragments in every direction, and made a tremendous 
splutter generally, which raised great shouts and laughter 
throughout lialf a dozen of the nearest vessels of the fleet. 
"See the wheelbarrows! — ha! ha! Hey, the wheelbarrows! 



22 



Ho! — give -em anotluT I " with lilve slioiits and clu'crs, was 
heard in every direction from the vessels near them. 

The fleet ancliored in front of tlie city, tlieir gnns tiained on 
some of the most important points, ready to open lire in a mo- 
ment, should needs be. The authorities and the people, feeling 
tlie heel of the proud and victorious Northmen on their necks, 
were in no ver}^ comi)laisant mood, and had to he sharply dealt 
with. 

The ^^ciota proceeded, in a day or two, on up the river, in 
the van of the operations in that direction, and was constantly 
engaged, during the whole summer, in cruising up and down 
the river, scouting, skirmishing and fighting, and occasionally 
shaking up the rebel population on its borders. The boys had 
a varied and sometimes amusing experience in the diversified 
adventures they encountered in trading w^ith the "contra- 
bands" for chickens, eggs and other luxuries ; and in disciplin- 
ing and rattling the seceshers, sonu times including the women, 
on the banks of the river. 

One day, as they WTm? running up, a party of ladies, in 
front of a stately mansion on the bank of the river, made 
themselves very conspicuous by waving a rebel flag over their 
heads when the ^^clota was in front of tliem. A boat was 
sent ashore and brought the party, including the head of 
the family, on board. Tlie fair Rehs were greatly exercised 
at the dilemma in wliich they found themselves, and vehe- 
mently protested that it was only a party-colored net shawl, 
or "'Nubia,'' that theA^ w(>re waving /// (■0)}q)Juuenf to tlie 



28 



boat, and a great deal of that sort of hash ; but tlie Quarter- 
master was too old a salt to "be "beguiled "l)y sucli nonsense, 
and maintained that it was a verital)le re"l)el tiag — that he 
eould not "be mistaken, as he liad his glass on it the whole time ; 
which seemed to take the starch out of the lady secesliers. 
The Captain gave them the assurance that wherever that Jlag 
should wave, in his presence, wheth(n' in the hands of men 
or women, lie sTiOuld fire upon it. He then dismissed thmi 
with a respectful but decisive reproof. 

At another time, they were passing a large nunnery estab- 
lishment, a ''full regulation" affair, standing a little way back 
from the river, a short distance above New Orleans— a French 
flag was hoisted on it. A Iwat was sent with a message to the 
Lady head man, directing that the flag be taken down, and 
that nothing but the national flag should fly in sight from the 
river. Madame was highly incensed at the Insulting order, 
and complied, with a good deal of grimace and evidence of 
bad feeling. A few days afterward, in passing the establish- 
ment, the same flag was again flaunted in their faces, when the 
Captain sent a party to bring it off, which Avas done in short 
order. The boys were marched into the house without parley, 
and lip to the top of it, and secured the flag sans ceremonie, to 
the great horror of the inmates at th(^ sacrilegious outrage and 
desecrati(ui of their immaculate establishment, into which a 
man'siooi never had, and they pretended never was to, enter. 
Tliev made a terrible hellibaloo and sputtering about it ; but 
the only satisfaction they got was the jvssurance that if the in- 
terdicted flag was again displayed, it would be flred upon at 
sight, without parhn' or notice. 



24 



They pavticipated in knocking and bnrinng Grand Gulf, and 
sniasliino' Natchez, some. Wlien the aftair at Baton Rouge 
came off, the Sciota happened to be at New Oi^eans en. dis- 
hahi'IIe, her engine "being overhauled. On getting the order, 
t^he pushed up, as soon as possible, in douhle qv'tck, but was 
just too late for a chance in, and her share in pounding to death 
her quondam acquaintance, the ram Arkansas. She had a 
prominent part in the attack, on the 28th June, on the batteries 
at Vicksburg, driving their garrison out, and after a sev(>re 
tiglit. passing by them, u]). 

In the forepart of July, Captain Donaldson's health being 
much impaired, he retired from the command, and was suc- 
ceeded by Lieutenant-Commander Lowhy, late First of the 
Brool'lyn. 

Whilst h'ing (xuietly at anchor near the mouth of the Yazoo, 
above Yicksburg, on the morning of the fifteenth of July, 
they were attacked b}', and had a sharp conflict with, the new 
rebel iron-clad ram Arkansas, as she ran through the fleet, 
downwards ; and then, on the same day, they attacked her in 
turn, and the batteries of Yicksburg, under which, being badly 
crippled in the morning's fight, she had taken shelter; and, 
after giving them a good hammering, run by them, down. 

They were daily, and ahnost hourly, fired at bv, and skir- 
mishing with. Guerillas laying in the brake on the shores of the 
river. Tayloi:, having the howitzers, it Avas frequently his 
duty to thr()\v a few rounds of grape or shrapnel, and occasion- 



:i.) 



ally a shell, pointing at w]iori> tlic vrhifrs of wliltc smoke ixiflTcd 
nj) from tli- d(^n8(^ tliickets, to disperse t]ie aniKn'anee. 

One day in tlie latter part of September, as the Sc/'ofa, with 
two other boats, was nnining qni<'tly np the river, sconting for 
adventure— being close under the east bank, some sixty or 
seventy mi](^s up from New Orleans— a large drove of cattle was 
discovered on the shore ; it had been swum across the river a 
sliort distance above, on its way from Texas, bound for the 
rebel camps in the vicinity ; a hint, in the sliape of a cannon 
shot from the Sclota, was given to the conductors of the drove, 
to "heave to," as others, as well as Johnny Rid), might liave 
an appetite for fresh beef. After considerabh^ effort to scatter 
and stampede their charge, tliey concluded, under the running 
tire of musk(^try directed at tliem, to give it np. Details from 
the gunboats were landed to take charge of the cattl(\ The 
drove was found to consist of sixte(m hundred head ; they were 
driven to an adjacent i^lantation on the l)ank of the river, and 
corralled; and the conductors placed in confinement in a 
church hard hy, to the great annoyance and disgust of the 
good 2)C(dre in charge of it ; he, evidentlj^, not deeming a coni- 
l)any of wild Texan cattle drivers a ver^^ interesting or credit- 
able congregation. Taylom and another officer were sent in 
command of the details from the Sc/'ofa, for the guarding of the 
corral, and keeping uj) night and day pickets, to prevent a 
surprise and stampede. They found the service anything but 
agreeable, b(nng amongst a hostile population, and without an}- 
knowledge of what ndglit be near them, or how soon they 
might be rushed ui)on by (fueiiillas from the high cane witli 
which the conntrv was covered. Many amusing, and some 



2G 



j^erilous incidents occurred, from tlio scouts and sentinels mis- 
taking each otlier in tlie niglit for enemies, and in dealing with 
the darkies for chickens and turkeys, and such other dainties as 
could be had. They were thus emploj'ed for live or six da3''s 
and nights, until the arrival of steamers from Xew Orleans, 
that were sent for, to conve}^ the cattle down. After they were 
embarked on the transport steamers, they all started down the 
river. As they apj)roached Donaldsonville, on the 4tli of Oc- 
tober, a large crowd of women and children were seen gathered 
on the Levee, and the Captain came to the conclusion at once, 
that there was trouble a-brewing. "There could not," he said, 
"be such a gathering of women without mischief coming out of 
it I" The Sciota was on the load, and as she came abreast of 
them, sure enough, the women suddenly sliedaddled to the 
roar, and live or six regiments of robs, numbering upwards of 
2000, with six pieces of artiller}^, which had all been completely 
nmsked by the women, suddenly rose up on the Levee, and 
opened a territic tire at not over fifty 3"ards distance. The 
Sciota,, being in advance, received the brunt of the lire of the 
whole body. Lieutenant Swasej', her first Lieutenant, was 
killed by a 6-pounder shot. The fire was returned with strik- 
ing effect. The Sciota rounding to, to make a clean thing of it, 
had driven the Johnnies to cover, and out of range by the time 
the other boats, which wore the rear-guard of the transj^orts, 
got in for a share in the scrimmage. AYlien Donaldsonville 
was taken possession of, a short time afterward, one Itundred 
and eighty odd new graves were counted in the church-j^ard, 
inscribed with the names of men avIio had died on the Aiit of 
Octoher ! — very suggestive of the effect of the tire from the 
Sciota; not the least telling of which was the grape and can- 



27 



iiister liberally fiirnisliod from Tayloii's liowltzcrs ; and tliore 
must have been very many wounded in addition. 

It was said, when the f:<ciuta returned to New Orleans, that 
she had passed through harder service, and received more hits 
and knocks than any other vessel of the Heet. 

In Januar}', 18G3, Taylor was ordered to Xew York, and 
on his arrival, and reporting to the Department, he was, on the 
report of an Examining Board of Navy Surgeons, jireviously 
held at New Orleans, invalided out, as being beh^w the tech- 
nical standard for robustness, notwithstanding he had served 
for nearl}' a year and a half in all the most severe and trying 
duties, and in the deadly climate of the Mississix^pi River, in 
the summer season; and was, in fact, the 07il?/ officer in his 
sliip who was never, dnring the whole time, on the sick list, or 
lost a day from duty ; but being onlij a 'volunteer, of course he 
received no sign of recognition or appreciation of his services. 
During the whole term he fdled the position and performed 
the duty of a Lieutenant, being a regular Deck-officer, and 
commanding a Division, Arc, with only the rating of a Mastefs 
Mate ! 

When he was about to leave the ^ciotct for the Government 
transport, to j)roceed to New York, his "traps" were in one of 
the ship' s boats, and he stepped into the cabin to take leave of 
the Captain, who inquired if he was ready to start, and was 
informed that his things were in the boat waiting alongside ; he 
told him to hold on a moment, aiid he would give him a letter. 



28 



Tayloi: returned to the deck, and in a few minutes tlic Captain 
(•ani(> up and handed him the followmg : 

''U. S. Gunboat Sciota, 
"Xew Orlean!^, La., Jan. 2, 186§. 
"Sin: It gives me great pleasnre, in parting with yon, to 
"testify to your nniform good conduct, zeal and conrage while 
' ' under my command. I hope that on the restoi-ation of your 
"health, yon will be ordered to some service which will again 
"give you an opportunity to serve yoiiv country as faithfully 
"as you have done on hoard of this vessel. 
"I am, yours very trnl}^, 

"R. B. LOWRY, 

''U.-Ccm.U. S. Xari/. 
"To Acting Master's Mate, 

"CI. C. TAYLOR, 

The Captain, observing that it was "a cutter'' that was in 
waiting, ordered it np, and directed his (ua "Called away" for 
the occasion ; and, as they pnlled off from the shii^, the crew 
rushed to the sides and rigging at the call to "Cheer ship," and 
gave three cheers for Mr. Taylor, with an earnestness and en- 
thusiasm indicating the deep feelings of interest and resi:)ect 
that prom])t(^d the movement. The boat's crew laid on their 
oars whilst the cheers were given. Taylor, standing in the 
stern sheets, raised his cap in token of acknowledgment and 




29 



a])i)reciatio]i of the C()mi)]lin(']it of the 
wa nil -li parted fclloAvs—compaiiioiis in so 
many Baltics and perils tliat tliey liad 
Kone throiio-li together, iiglitiiig in ih,. 
cause of the Constitution and Govern- 
ment of their countiy, and in snpi)oit of 
its glorious old flag, 

" Proud iKiniicr of the Irce ! 
" Tlic sky-l)orn stars, nnd glorious colors tliree ! " 



J U LY, 18 6S. 
HE NOAv .slet<:ps, calmly and sweetly. 

• THE BRIOIIT-DKEAMED SLUMBER OF THE BRAVE," 
WHERE -\VE LAID }irM, AMIDST HIS AXCESTRAL 
-KITH AND KIX," BENEATH THE SOH, OF FAIRVIEW 
CEMETERY, MIDDLETOWN, NEW JERSEY. 



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